It seems
like we can’t keep social media out of the news these days.
Earlier
this week internet troll Matthew Woods was imprisoned for 12 weeks for posting
grossly offensive comments on Facebook about the April Jones tragedy. This has
again raised the debate about when an offensive or threatening comment on a
social media site should lead to criminal action and even imprisonment.
In the
famous twitter joke case the courts eventually decided that if a comment was
clearly meant to be a joke then a criminal conviction was not appropriate –
In the wake
of this the Director of Public Prosecution announced an intention to issue
guidelines about what might result in criminal action. Those guidelines are
still awaited.
The Matthew Woods case has led to further debate about freedom of speech and whether it is
appropriate to jail somebody for posting comments which are intended to be
humorous, however offensive they might be. Well known commentator Joshua
Rozenberg thinks that criminal proceedings are taking things too far –
‘People who cause needless hurt and offence to bereaved
families and their supporters should be censured, shunned and shamed.
Prosecution and possible imprisonment should be reserved for those who make
credible threats to kill or maim others, putting their victims in genuine fear
for their safety.’
This is an
important time as our criminal justice system adapts to a new and developing
world of social media. Do we allow total freedom to post comments however much
offence and upset they cause? Or do we draw a line in the sand and say that
freedom of speech can only go so far?
I am a
passionate defender of freedom of speech. People should have the right to
express views which I might find abhorrent. But on the other hand the point
must also be reached where society says that something is so extreme in its
offence that action must be taken.
Watch this
space!
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